Towing and lifting yoke



Sept. 15; 1964 D. F. SMITH TOWING AND LIFTING YOKE Filed July 31, 1963 R L H W m 0 m 5 m m r M LM w D em Oh k mm MN m w N @N N mm N \mwk United States Patent "ce 3,148,968 TOWING AND LIFTING YOKE Donald F. Smith, Hoiiiston, Mass, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed July 31, 1963, Ser. No. 299,125 8 (Claims. (Cl. 29467) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to towing and/ or lifting yokes for cylindrical articles such as drums, barrels and the like. More specifically the invention is directed to yokes for large sized containers of rubber-like fabric material of the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,978,- 004. Such containers are large and awkward to handle by existing apparatus but may be readily lifted by crane or helicopter and may be easily towed by a motor vehicle.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved yoke which is readily adapted to either lift or tow a container of the class described.

A further object is to provide such an improved yoke as is readily knocked down into its component parts or into sub-assemblies for storage or transportation but which can be quickly and readily assembled for use Without the use of special tools or skills and even by personnel wearing hand coverings as gloves or mittens.

A further object is to provide such an improved yoke with novel reinforcing means at critical points to insure a long and failure-free life.

A further object is to provide such a novel yoke as is formed from readily available and low priced materials and which can be manufactured at low cost by well known manufacturing processes.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of the device, the structure of the several elements of the same, combinations and subcombinations of such elements with each other and/or with a container to be towed or lifted, all of which will be readily understood by those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing illustrating a preferred species of the invention and to the following specification wherein the invention is described and claimed.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a lifting and towing yoke according to the invention showing the same attached to a container;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view showing the attachment to the container in greater detail;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of one furcation of the yoke showing the same in knocked down condition for shipment or storage; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts in all views, designates generally a cylindrical container of the type illustrated in my prior patent aforesaid. Said container has opposite circular ends 11 each mounting an end fitting 12 which may include an inner circular plate 13 and an outer ring 14 disposed in outwardly spaced concentric relation to the plate 13 to define an annular hearing race 15 therebetween. Plates 13 and rings 14 may be detachably secured in position by any suitable fasteners 17 and 16 respectively. Plate 13 may include any suitable closure member for providing access to the interior of container 10 for filling and emptying purposes. Plate masses 8 Patented Sept. 15., 1964 13 may have any suitable hand grip means 18 secured thereto. Any suitable annular bearing member 19 is rotatably mounted and secured in the bearing race 15 in any suitable manner as in my prior patent aforesaid. The outer surface of bearing member 19 has fixed thereto in any suitable manner, at least one lug 20 which is apertured centrally as at 21 for a purpose to be apparent hereinafter. In the embodiment illustrated each bearing has two lugs 20 but one will suffice.

The yoke according to the invention is generally designated at 22, FIGURE 1, and comprises a bifurcated member made up from two furcations 23. Each furcation 23 comprises an upper leg portion 24 and a lower leg portion 25. The leg portions 24, 25 may be integral but in the embodiment illustrated comprise separate elements pivotally connected together in any suitable manner as by the apertured cars 27 of the lower end of the upper leg portions 24 and the pins 26 which extend through such ears and the apertured flattened ends 28 of the upper ends of the lower leg portions 25.

Each furcation 23 has a brace 29 or 30 pivotally secured thereto in any suitable manner as by pins 31 which extend through suitable apertures in the outer ends of the brace members 29 or 30 and the flattened upper ends 28 of the lower leg portions 25. The brace portion 29 has an inner end portion 32 of reduced size which is slidably received in a complementary socket formed in the inner end portion 33 of the other brace 30. Any suitable readily detachable pin 34 extends through registering apertures in the inner ends 32, 33 to secure the brace members 29, 30 together in a rigid brace-providing position to maintain the furcations 23 in spread apart relation.

The upper ends of each upper leg portion 24 is formed as a flattened eye 35. Such eyes 35 are adapted to be superimposed to provide a single lunette to receive a lifting or towing pintle or the like such as the hook 36, FIG- URE 1. It is within the concept of the invention to readily detachably connect the eyes together by separable fastener rneans'or the like. With the furcations connected together at their upper ends by the connector 36, the lower ends thereof are maintained in fixed spread apart relation to form a rigid yoke.

The lower ends of the lower leg portions 25 are laterally inwardly directed, toward each other by curved leg portions 38. The tips of the lower ends 37 are formed with bifurcated cars 39 formed with aligned apertures to permit them to be readily detachably connected to the lugs 20 of the bearing members 19 by any suitable means such as the readily detachable pins 40. The curved lower leg portions 38 are reinforced against stresses tending to straighten them out by rigid curved metal buttresses in the form of curved strips 41. As best seen in FIGURE 4, such curved portions 38 are formed with radial slots therethrough into which the metal strips 41 are fittted and secured therein by any suitable means such as welding. Preferably an inner edge portion 42 of each strip extends radially inwardly of each curved portion while an outer edge portion 43 projects radially outwardly thereof. The projecting portions 42 and 43 increase the rigidity of the strips beyond that which they would have Were the inner and outer edges flush with the surface of the curved leg portion 38.

When the yoke is being used to lift a container 10, as in FIGURE 1, the center of gravity will be somewhat below the points of attachment because the lugs 20 are not located axially of the container. The same will be true when the container 10 is being towed as in FIGURE 2 wherein the towing lugs will be forwardly of the axis of the container.

The pins 34 and 40 for connecting the braces 29, 30 and the ears 39 of the lower ends of the legs to the lugs 20 of the hearing may and preferably are the readily releasable type of the general kind disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,352,414. Thus, they may be readily removed and applied without special tools or skills and even by personnel wearing protective hand coverings. In practice such pins would be secured to the adjacent parts by any suitable flexible tether means not shown. The remaining pins 26 and 31 should be permanently fixed in their ears of the upper leg portions 24 and brace members 2% and 39 but are freely pivotal in the flattened upper ends 28 of the lower leg portions 25.

It follows from the foregoing that the structure and arrangement described above more than achieves the objects of the invention and may be readily constructed, assembled, and knocked down economically and expeditiously. Moreover, while there has been shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise structures and arrangements shown and described hereinabove but only as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. Alifting and towing yoke for cylindrical articles comprising a bifurcated member, each furcation of said member comprising an upper leg. and a lower leg, joint means pivotally connecting said upper and lower legs together, a brace member for each furcation, means pivotally connecting each brace member to said joint means, means readily detachably connecting said brace members together between said furcations, each upper leg having an upper end formed to provide a lifting and towing eye, said eyes being adapted to be superimposed to provide a lunette to receive a lifting and towing pintle or the like therethrough, said lower legs having straight upper ends and diagonally inwardly directed lower end portions connected together by a rigid curved portion, means reinforcing said curved portions to prevent the straightening thereof, and said lower ends having free ends including means for readily detachably connecting the same to a cylindrical article.

2. A towing and lifting yoke according to claim 1, wherein said lower legs are formed of hollow tubular material, solid metal strips curved to correspond to said curved portions, said strips extending diametrically through said curved portions longitudinally and radially thereof to provide said reinforcing means therefor.

3. A towing and lifting yoke according to claim 2, wherein said solid metal strips include integral edge portions protruding radially inwardly and outwardly of said curved portions,

4. A lifting and towing yoke for cylindrical articles, comprising a bifurcated member, each furcation of said member comprising an upper leg and a lower leg, joint means pivotally connecting said upper and lower legs together, a brace member for each furcation, means pivotal- 1y connecting an outer end of each brace member to said joint means, means readily detachably connecting inner ends of said brace members together, each upper leg having an upper end formed to provide a lifting and towing eye, said eyes being adapted to be superimposed to provide a lunette for receiving a lifting and towing pintle or the like therethrough, and said lower legs having lower ends including means for readily detachably connecting the same to a cylindrical article.

5. A lifting and towing yoke for cylindrical articles, comprising a bifurcated member, each furcation of said member comprising an upper leg portion and a lower leg portion, a brace member for each furcation, said brace members having inner and outer ends, means pivotally connecting said outer ends of said brace members to their respective furcation between said upper and lower leg portions, means readily detachably connecting said inner ends of said brace members toegther to provide a single rigid brace, each upper leg portions having an upper end formed to provide a lifting and towing eye, said eyes being adapted to be superimposed to provide a single lunette for receiving a lifting or towing pintle or the like therethrough and said lower leg portions having lower ends including means for readily detachably connecting the same to the ends of a cylindrical article.

6. A lifting and towing yoke according to claim 5, wherein said lower leg portions include curved portions terminating in lower ends which are laterally inwardly directed toward each other, and buttresses reinforcing said curved portions against stresses tending to straighten them out.

7. A lifting and towing yoke according to claim 6, wherein said lower leg portions are formed of tubular material, and said buttresses comprise rigid curved metal References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Day Nov. 28, 1961 Huff Sept. 25, 1962 

1. A LIFTING AND TOWING YOKE FOR CYLINDRICAL ARTICLES COMPRISING A BIFURCATED MEMBER, EACH FURCATION OF SAID MEMBER COMPRISING AN UPPER LEG AND A LOWER LEG, JOINT MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID UPPER AND LOWER LEGS TOGETHER, A BRACE MEMBER FOR EACH FURCATION, MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING EACH BRACE MEMBER TO SAID JOINT MEANS, MEANS READILY DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID BRACE MEMBERS TOGETHER BETWEEN SAID FURCATIONS, EACH UPPER LEG HAVING AN UPPER END FORMED TO PROVIDE A LIFTING AND TOWING EYE, SAID EYES BEING ADAPTED TO BE SUPERIMPOSED TO PROVIDE A LUNETTE TO RECEIVE A LIFTING AND TOWING PINTLE OR THE LIKE THERETHROUGH, SAID LOWER LEGS HAVING STRAIGHT UPPER ENDS AND DIAGONALLY INWARDLY DIRECTED LOWER END PORTIONS CONNECTED TOGETHER BY A RIGID CURVED PORTION, MEANS REINFORCING SAID CURVED PORTIONS TO PREVENT THE STRAIGHTENING THEREOF, AND SAID LOWER ENDS HAVING FREE ENDS INCLUDING MEANS FOR READILY DETACHABLY CONNECTING THE SAME TO A CYLINDRICAL ARTICLE. 